Visiting Tan Xuyen Temple

The Tan Xuyen communal temple, also known locally as the Than Hoang temple, was bestowed with a royal decree by Emperor Tu Duc on November 29, 1852 (the fifth year of Tu Duc's reign). The decree states: "The deity is granted the title of Quang Hau Chinh Truc Huu Thien Don Ngung, but is officially recognized as Tan Xuyen village, Long Xuyen district."

Royal decree issued by Emperor Tự Đức.

It is known that the name "Tan Xuyen Temple" originates from the place name at that time. The temple is a place of folk worship for the local people; it receives few visitors on ordinary days, but especially on the 13th and 14th of the third lunar month each year, the temple welcomes a large number of visitors from all over to attend the Ky Yen festival.

Mr. Dang Van Ut, Chief Priest of Tan Xuyen Temple, said: “The Ky Yen Festival aims to pray for peace for the people, for a year of favorable weather, bountiful harvests, and for everyone to live in peace and prosperity. The ceremony is very solemn, usually involving sticky rice and sweet soup, fruits, and especially a roasted pig and a white pig as offerings. Maintaining the annual organization of the festival contributes to preserving and promoting the cultural heritage values of the locality and strengthens the bonds between the people.”

Throughout the ups and downs of history, Tan Xuyen communal house has become a spiritual site for the people of Ca Mau in particular and people from all over the Mekong Delta provinces in general. Currently, the communal house preserves many valuable artifacts of considerable age, meticulously carved, such as a pair of couplets dating back over 100 years, a royal decree granted by Emperor Tu Duc, a set of bronze incense burners, candlesticks, relief panels, a ceremonial hall, and a dragon pavilion… The exterior of the communal house still retains the ancient architectural style of traditional Southern Vietnamese communal houses, including the main hall, the performance hall, the singing hall, and the kitchen. In 2020, a three-arched gate was built at the communal house with contributions from the people, costing 140 million VND.

Valuable artifacts have been carefully preserved by successive temple management boards.

Mr. Nguyen Van Moc, Secretary of Tan Xuyen Temple, shared: "As a son of Ca Mau province, I am very proud that in Ward 4 there are three long-standing cultural and spiritual sites forming a unique chain: the Buddha Ancestor Pagoda, the God of the Spirits Shrine, and Tan Xuyen Temple."

On October 20, 2020, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee signed a decision classifying Tan Xuyen Temple as a provincial-level historical relic. This classification is of significant importance, contributing to future preservation and restoration efforts.